Chinese Exchange School Program

China Visit - September 2013

Miss Karen Francis, 12 Year 10 students and myself have now returned from our very rewarding 17 days in China. I must congratulate our students for the manner in which they conducted themselves throughout what was a very demanding schedule. There were many highlights including our 7 day stay with our hosts in Dali, climbing the Great Wall of China and seeing the Terracotta Warriors. This very worthwhile Exchange Visit Program will continue again next year when the Chinese students visit in August and approximately 12 of our Year 10 students will travel to China at the end of Term 3.
Principal: Mr. Garry Costello

China Exchange Program
It was very exciting to have in our school 12 students and 4 teachers from our sister school in China. The Chinese students were hosted by families of Year 10 students from our school. During their week here they visited classrooms, took part in Home Economics and Woodwork and visited a number of local attractions including The Perry Sandhills and Lock Island.
A highlight of their time in our school was their presentation to 200 of our Year 7, 8 and 9 students. Their performance in traditional clothing included singing and dancing of folk songs and a traditional tea ceremony. Our 12 Year 10 students left for China on Thursday 12th September.

China Exchange Program 2012

Irymple Secondary College has been matched with Xiaguan No1 Middle School in Dali (Yunnan Province) in China for a sister-school relationship. Education Officials in Dali have invited our College Council President, Mr Richard Dowdy, and myself to meet with them and inspect the Xiaguan school. As a result we will be in China from 4th to 12th March. It is expected that our school will join with Red Cliffs Secondary College and Merbein P-10 on student visits to Dali and hosting Chinese students for 2 weeks in Term 3.

There will be a meeting for parents and students that might be interested in travelling to China and / or hosting a Chinese student in our school library on Thursday 22nd March at 7:00pm. Approximately 10 students each year will participate in this Program. Preference will go to Year 10 students each year. It must be noted that the Chinese students are quite fluent in speaking English.

Principal’s report after visiting China - signing up the Student Exchange Program

Our College Council President, Richard Dowdy, and I have just returned from China where we visited our sister school, Xiaguan No1 Middle School, in Dali. We were quite overwhelmed with the hospitality of our hosts. The school has 2,200 students in Years 10,11 and 12. We met 45 students (all in Yr 10) who are hoping to be here in August as part of the Visiting Students Program. Unfortunately, a maximum of 15 students only will be attending as they will join with those visiting Merbein and Red Cliffs. Richard and I were extremely impressed with the high level of conversational English displayed by these students. We will need host families for them when they are here.
We are hoping to send 10 students, mainly from Year 10, to Dali in September, for about 15 days. There will be an information evening in the College library on Thursday 22nd March for students who may be interested in travelling to China and their parents.
The cost is expected to be about $2,800.

On Friday 3rd August we welcome 3 teachers and 17 students (11 girls and 6 boys) from Xiaguan No1 Middle School in Dali, China. They will be in Mildura for one week and the students will stay with host families from ISC. During their stay they will visit many of our local attractions and go to a number of classes with the host student from our school. It is certainly very exciting to have such a large number of students and teachers from another country in our school interacting with our students.

Chinese Students visiting our School in August 2013
It was with great pleasure that our school hosted 17 students and 3 teachers from Xiaguan No1 Middle School in China from Friday 3rd August to Saturday 11th August. During their time here they went to classes with their host student and also participated in Cooking (making sausage rolls) and Wood Technology. Food and Materials Technology are not taught in secondary schools in China. The Chinese students also went to the Peri Sandhills, Lock Island, observed sheep shearing and saw kangaroos at Riverside Golf Club. On their last day at our school the Chinese students held a performance for 170 of our Year 7, 8 and 9 students. Their performance included traditional Chinese folk songs and one girl did the “Dance of the Peacock” (pictured above).
There were emotional scenes at the V-Line busstation when the 50 Chinese students from the three schools left on their journey home via Melbourne. A very big thank you to the families that hosted the visiting students by welcoming them into your homes.
Our 12 students travelling to China on 13th September are certainly looking forward to visiting the Xiaguan school in Dali and again meeting up with the Chinese students.
This will be an ongoing program with our Chinese sister-school with visits between the two countries taking place each year.

Irymple Secondary Students visiting China in September 2012

Our school will be represented by 12 students and 2 teachers travelling to China during the last week of Term 3 and first week of the holidays. They will be part of a group of another 28 students and 5 teachers from Merbein and Red Cliffs Secondary Colleges. The Xiaguan No1 Middle School in China has notified us of 17 students (11 girls and 6 boys) and 3 teachers who will be visiting us during the first week of August. Our guests are expected to be here for about 7 or 8 days. We will be requiring host families for these students. The students will be involved in school based activities during the day. Information sheets will soon be available to families interested in hosting one of these visitors.